Well it’s really not expensive. Click Here for examples of price.

It’s very reasonable when you consider the overall value of something custom made. Take for example a typical solid wood table top. It’s the first thing you see when you enter a dining room. The wood should have distinctive figure in the grain that stands out. It should appear as one board cut from one tree. This is a hallmark of fine furniture dating back hundreds of years. The term ?one board top? is common parlance in fine antique galleries and auction houses. Similarly, custom woodworkers today attempt to provide the same look even though sadly enough, boards three feet across are scarce. Careful and time consuming matching of 2 to 4 boards on a typical dining table can yield an uninterrupted one board look. The top you see in this photo is a three board top, with each board being about twelve inches wide. (insert figured table top photo) By comparison, a well known American factory brand prides itself by making table tops where no board is wider than 2 inches. This produces a butcher block appearance in my opinion. They claim that it lessens the chance that the table will warp. In theory this is true, but I have seen this butcher block construction fail also. I think thebottom line for this practice is economics.

The whole idea of cost comparison comes from the error people make in comparing custom woodwork to factory (assembly line) woodwork. As you can see in the exmple above it is not an apples to apples comparison.

What provides value in custom woodwork is the use of time tested materials like solid wood, glues and finishing materials that not only have a history of longevity, but can also be easily repaired. Most factories use a high percentage of materials like particle board and ?new and improved high tech? glues and finishing materials that are not time tested, difficult to repair and are harmful to the environment. Something that is one of a kind and made to order will more than likely outlast and appreciate in value while the factory made piece will end up occupying space in the landfill. I’ve repaired enough furniture since 1987 to know that factory woodwork usually needs repair due to the way it was made, for example, modern glues failing or screws and nails working loose. By virtue of the way it was put together, it will need constant maintenance. Conversely, custom woodwork, most of it antique, requires repair because of damage done by people. There is usually not material failure to contend with. So, custom made objects will need repair due to their longevity . . . sooner or later someone is going to inadvertantly kick it or knock it over. Furniture, houses, cars, or virtually any object lasts based on two things: the timelessness of its desing and how easy it is to maintain and repair. Think of the original Volkswagen Beetle and the Rolls Royce. The Rolls is simply built to run forever and built from the beat materials. The Beetle has simple maintenance and inexpensive parts. The two automobiles visually are classic and timeless. Think of the cars in between and you probably have visions of a junk yard. Think of custom woodwork in this way and you won’t be shopping for new furniture every ten years.

 

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